Category Archives: cocktails

Cocktail Corner: Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai

Posted on by
Reply
Chuck's Famous Mai Tai (courtesy photo)

Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

A lot of places slap the label “famous” onto a cocktail, but Chuck’s Famous Mai Tai is one “famous” libation that’s ready for a “legendary” label.

It’s not quite as good as a trip to Maui, but it’s pretty darn close.

Chuck’s of Hawaii (3888 State St., 805/687-4417) makes its own super special secret saucy Mai Tai mix—I don’t know what the proportions of orange, pineapple and limes are in there, but I do know that when mixed with three different rums (and always a red Maraschino cherry, lemon, green Maraschino cheery, orange skewer) this marvelous Mai Tai is guaranteed to put you in an island state of mind.

And it’s good for you too. Continue reading →

Cocktail Corner: A Bouquet of Orchid Cocktails

Posted on by
Reply
Black Orchid (courtesy Grey Goose Vodka)

Black Orchid (courtesy Grey Goose Vodka)

With the  68th Santa Barbara International Orchid Show coming up this weekend (March 8–10, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. at Earl Warren Showgrounds), I think a bouquet of orchid cocktails is certainly in order to celebrate this event.

Grey Goose Vodka (which I just happen to have a bottle of in the pantry) has a delicious version of the Black Orchid, made with Grey Goose L’Orange, fresh lemon, crème de violette, simple syrup and peach bitters.

Absolut has a similarly violet-hued Orchid Cocktail, using gin rather than vodka, along with violet liqueur and an egg white. Not only is it pretty, but it’s got some protein in there for good measure.

The Parisian Orchid Cocktail from She Knows Food & Recipes features vodka, St. Germain Elderberry Liqueur, fresh lemon juice and pineapple juice. Sounds delicious!

The Golden Orchid, from Cocktail Times, is made with cognac, orange liqueur and orange juice to create a yummy citrus-colored libation. So pretty!

Orchids seem to go with just about every kind of liquor, including rum. This Black Orchid Shooter recipe from DrinkSecret.com features Bacardi Black Rum, along with grenadine, blue curacao, and cranberry juice.

Though the orchids are primarily used as garnish and for beautiful color inspiration in these cocktails, many orchids are edible. Just keep in mind, I said “edible” and not “palatable.” Unless you’re dying to eat them, I recommend you stick with the liquid part of the cocktail and keep the garnish to adorn your outfit with!

P.S: Writing a column about cocktails is not just about drinking, it’s also educational. In the course of  my research, I came across this interesting orchid tidbit: The class of orchids known as bifolate cattleya are sometimes referred to as “Cocktail orchids” because of their smaller size as compared to the standard unifoliate cattleya.

Cheers!
Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on March 8, 2013.

Cocktail Corner: A Bit of the Blarney About Dargan’s

Posted on by
Reply
Dargans (courtesy photo)

Dargans (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic!  By Leslie Dinaberg

Irish eyes are always smiling at Dargan’s, one of my favorite downtown pubs (18 E. Ortega St., 805/568-0702). Of course the place will be rocking this weekend in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s a great place to tipple any time of the year. Try a specialty pint, like the Black & Tan (3/4 Ale topped with a 1/4 “hat” of Guinness) or the Snakebite (1/2 Cider and 1/2 Harp); or choose from an impressive list of Irish Whiskeys, including Clontarf, Knappogue Single Malt and Tullamore Dew, along with all of the usual suspects.

Owned by third generation pub-meister Paul Dargan, who has mastered the art of keeping the atmosphere upbeat, casual and friendly, Dargan’s is a kid-friendly place to boot. Continue reading →

Cocktail Corner: Cheers to Spring at the Ty Lounge

Posted on by
Reply
Four Seasons Biltmore's barrel-aged Negroni (courtesy photo)

Four Seasons Biltmore’s barrel-aged Negroni (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

A great spot for cocktails just got even better. The Ty Lounge (at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara) has always been a beautiful place to drink in the priceless view of the Pacific, but now mixology pro and manager Chris Nordella has introduced a lively selection of spring cocktails.

Premiering for the first time is a barrel-aged Negroni, blended and barreled in-house by Nordella. The classic cocktail combines Plymouth gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, with all ingredients aged together in French Oak for six weeks. Other new handcrafted cocktails also take us on exotic journeys of taste, like the Sencha Caipirinha, Sencha green tea-infused Sagatiba Cachaca with lemongrass syrup and lime.

Ty Lounge at Four Seasons Biltmore (courtesy photo)

Ty Lounge at Four Seasons Biltmore (courtesy photo)

Then there’s the Macchu Pisco, with Barsol Pisco, Aperol, lemon juice, grapefruit juice and Kirschwasser, and the Rhubarbarita, mixing Patron blanco tequila with rhubarb puree, house-made grenadine, lemon and Grand Marnier. No one can seem to agree whether rhubarb is a fruit or a vegetable, but I’m guessing you won’t care much when you taste this delicious twist on a favorite Margarita.

Along with these fresh seasonal libations, executive chef Alessandro Cartumini has created a tasty new tapas menu for Ty Lounge. Selections favor the savory, including saffron paellacroquetas, patatas bravas, black mussels steamed in white wine with chorizo, and some heartier choices such as merguez sausage with piquillo pepper stew and marcona almonds.

Ty Lounge's black mussels steamed in white wine with chorizo (courtesy photo)

Ty Lounge’s black mussels steamed in white wine with chorizo (courtesy photo)

There are also a handful of delicious new sweets, like the tarta Alicante, which features layers of almond sponge cake and lemon curd topped with meringue, and the borracho, which is “drunken” rum cake served with a milk chocolate cream and coffee sauce. Yum!

Playing off the Spanish influence of the Biltmore’s beautiful architecture, the revamped cocktail list also features two types of sangria (“it’s just a given when you think of tapas and sun,” says Nordella), as well as classic Spanish cocktails, cava and quality wines representing key Spanish varietals and growing regions.

Happy hour is every Monday – Thursday from 4–6 pm. Enjoy $5 off all menu cocktails, $2 off beers on tap, $7 appetizers and $8 featured wines by the glass. With Chris Fossek playing Spanish Guitar on Wednesdays, Lois Mahalia playing jazz on Fridays and a DJ on Saturdays, there are lots of great reasons to toast spring at the Ty Lounge these days. Maybe we’ll see you there. Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on March 22, 2013.

Cocktail Corner: Potions With Pisco Popping Up

Posted on by
Reply
KAPPA Rico (courtesy of KAPPA Pisco)

KAPPA Rico (courtesy of KAPPA Pisco)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

I wasn’t too familiar with Pisco (defined by Wikipedia as a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored grape brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile) last fall, when someone gave me a bottle of KAPPA Pisco, a new Chilean Pisco from the House of Marnier-Lapostolle, producers of Grand Marnier. But since then, this exotic beverage has been showing up more and more.  Especially in Montecito, where it’s behind the bar at Cava Restaurant and Bar and the Biltmore’s Ty Lounge and on the shelves at The Bottle Shop, among others.

A Pisco Sour is the Peruvian national cocktail, prepared with egg white, lime juice, simple syrup, and bitters. (Do we have one of those? How can I get on the national cocktail committee?) The Chilean version of a Pisco Sour sometimes has no bitters. And keep in mind, as Epicurious bartender Ryan McGrale writes, “Chilean and Peruvian Piscos are not interchangeable. Chilean Pisco is sweeter and has a slightly lower proof. So if you use the Peruvian stuff, adjust the amount of lemon juice and simple syrup accordingly. Both kinds are available at many good liquor stores.

KAPPA Krush (courtesy of KAPPA Pisco)

KAPPA Krush (courtesy of KAPPA Pisco)

Chilean Amargo bitters are virtually impossible to buy in the U.S., but easy-to-find Angostura Bitters make an acceptable substitute. They are “sharper and spicier, go a little lighter on the bitters if you’re using Angostura.”

KAPPA Pisco offers a recipe for a variation called the KAPPA Rico:

1 ½ oz KAPPA Pisco

1 oz Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge

¾ oz fresh lemon juice or fresh lime juice

¼ oz simple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice.  Shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.  Garnish with a lime wheel.

 

Terrific for a sunny afternoon, as is their KAPPA Krush:

2 oz KAPPA Pisco

4 grapes

4 lemon chunks (quartered half lemon)

2 tsp raw sugar

In a shaker, muddle lemons and grapes with sugar.  Then add KAPPA Pisco and fill mixing glass with partially cracked ice.  Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice.  Garnish with halved grapes.

Another variation is this Pisco Smash from Food & Wine chef Nick Fauchald, also quite delicious and refreshing.

Bar None Drinks offers a total of eight recipes using Pisco, including one called Cotton Candy #3. Let us know if you try it.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on March 29, 2013.

Cocktail Corner: Cheers to The Pan

Posted on by
Reply
Citrus & Spice Cocktail at The Pan (photo by Leslie Dinaberg)

Citrus & Spice Cocktail at The Pan (photo by Leslie Dinaberg)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

I’m a big believer that variety is the spice of life. If I could tipple “cocktail flights” for every happy hour and nibble appetizers for every meal, I would be doing a happy dance for the rest of my life.

I still haven’t found a place that has “cocktail flights” on the menu (sharing sips with friends is the next best thing), but I have found a great small bites place just a hop, skip and jump from the office: The Pan.

Located in the restaurant row at 18 E. Cota St., this retro cool place serves comfort food “tapas“: small plates of yummy favorites like chicken pot pie, truffle mac ‘n’ cheese, tater tots, cobb salads, mini burgers and more. The small plates and straightforward atmosphere make this a great place for families as well as anyone else who wants some light bites or a few different tastes to make a meal out of. Everything on the food side of the menu is between $3–$6, so it’s an easy decision to order a few things and share them.

Favorite small plates from The Pan include cheeseburgers, tater tots, chicken pot pie and cobb salad (photo by Leslie Dinaberg)

Favorite small plates from The Pan include cheeseburgers, tater tots, chicken pot pie and cobb salad (photo by Leslie Dinaberg)

This includes desserts. I don’t usually bother with anything that’s not chocolate, but the Apple Crisp at The Pan is just like how you wished your mama made it!

And of course—I probably should have said this first—the cocktails are fabulous. They have all the modern classics, including Old Fashioneds (featuring Bulleit Bourbon), Sazerac and the Dark and Stormy, among others. They also have a “healthy and organic menu” for cocktails, including Margaritas, Cucumber-Lemonade Chillers (with gin) and my personal favorite, the Citrus & Spice Cocktail featuring jalapeño-infused organic vodka (that counts as a vegetable serving, right?), King’s Ginger liqueur, organic fresh orange juice, grapefruit juice and passion fruit puree.

There is one downside to this place, however. It’s only open Thursday (5–10 p.m.), Friday and Saturday nights (both 6 p.m.–midnight).

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on April 26, 2013.

Cocktail Corner: Kentucky Derby Day Drinks

Posted on by
Reply
Early Times makes the official Mint Julep of the 2013 Kentucky Derby. (courtesy photo)

Early Times makes the official Mint Julep of the 2013 Kentucky Derby. (courtesy photo)

A spirited toast to all things alcoholic! By Leslie Dinaberg

It’s Kentucky Derby time this weekend, and although all I know about the leaderboard is that Orb is favored to win, I know enough about Kentucky Derby Day traditions to know whichever horse your money’s on, y’all should be cheering ’em on with a Mint Julep.

This ice-cold cocktail is generally made with fresh mint leaves, sugar, a little bit of water and a whole lot of Bourbon. It’s kind of hard to go wrong with that combination, but here are a few fun recipes I found to share with you.

The “official” drink of the Derby (and how can you not love a sporting event with its own official drink?) is the  Early Times Mint Julep, which features Early Times Kentucky Bourbon served in a commemorative silver cup. You can also purchase the pre-made versions of this cocktail in a limited-edition Early Times Mint Julep artist bottle. This year’s bottle (pictured) features the work of Celeste Susany, one of the nation’s premier equine painters.

Esquire has a recipe for Brandy Julep, made with Cognac and Rum. Drinksmixer.com has a Rum Julep recipe that uses simple syrup, which is also recommended by many mixologists as a timesaver if you’re serving a crowd.

Emeril Lagasse makes a Mint Julep Martini with Belvedere Vodka, which sounds pretty fabulous, not to mention refreshing, as does this Frozen Mint Julep, from the official Kentucky Derby party planning page.

Cheers!

Click here for more cocktail corner columns.

Leslie Dinaberg

Leslie Dinaberg

When she’s not busy working as the editor of Santa Barbara SEASONS, Cocktail Corner author Leslie Dinaberg writes magazine articles, newspaper columns and grocery lists. When it comes to cocktails, Leslie considers herself a “goal-oriented drinker.”

Originally published in Santa Barbara SEASONS on May 3, 2013.

Good Libations

Posted on by
Reply
KEKO64, freedigitalphotos.net

KEKO64, freedigitalphotos.net

It was the headline I’ve been fantasizing about for all of my adult life: “Study Finds Fruity Cocktails Count as Health Food.” I double-checked the URL, just to make sure I hadn’t accidentally stumbled onto the Onion.

Sure enough, Reuters was actually reporting that, “a fruity cocktail may not only be fun to drink but may count as health food, U.S. and Thai researchers said on Thursday.”

It makes so much sense. I knew I hadn’t been irresponsibly drowning my sorrows in alcohol for the past couple of decades. Those massive quantities of strawberry margaritas consumed over the years really did make me feel better–even in the morning.

I love it when science finally comes around to my way of thinking.

The discovery was pure serendipity–like the discovery of penicillin.

Tucked away in their labs (no doubt downing Red Bull, Mountain Dew, and Jolt cocktails) Dr. Korakot Chanjirakul and colleagues at Kasetsart University in Thailand and scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture were exploring ways to help keep strawberries fresh during storage, and accidentally stumbled on evidence that treating the berries with alcohol increased their antioxidant capacity and free radical scavenging activity.

In English, this means that adding ethanol–the type of alcohol found in rum, vodka, tequila and others–boosted the antioxidant nutrients in strawberries and blackberries.

The next time someone gives you a hard time for chugging a pitcher of Tangerine Banana Mango Daiquiris, you get right on your high horse and tell them you’re just conscientiously doing your part to prevent cancer.

Does that rock or what? You can now imbibe with pride.

This means that all those times we brought Margaritas to the Little League games we weren’t senior delinquents. No. We were good Samaritans saving lives.

The report in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture says that any colored fruit might be made even more healthful with the addition of a splash of alcohol. How awesome is that? Look around at the Farmer’s Market. All fruits are colored!

Get this: for those of you that like celery with your Bloody Marys (blech!) or onions with your Martinis (gag!), the antioxidant effect works with vegetables too.

As we all know by now, people who eat more fruits and vegetables have a documented lower risk of cancer, heart disease and some neurological diseases. Add that to a little Leslie logic and you’ve got a double whammy on the rocks: (a) Fruity frilly drinks are whimsical; (b) Scientists like fruity frilly drinks; (c) I like fruity frilly drinks; (d) Therefore, I’m a whimsical scientist.

I’m hoping the next phase of research will prove that adding little cocktail umbrella enhances the antioxidant effect.

Share your favorite fruity frilly girly drinks, we mean health tips, with Leslie at Leslie@leslieDinaberg.com. For more columns visit www.LeslieDinaberg.com. Originally published in the Santa Barbara Daily Sound on July 27, 2007.

Recylable Resolutions for the New Year

Posted on by
Reply
Photostock (freedigitalphotos.net)

Photostock (freedigitalphotos.net)

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.” -Bill Vaughan

“New Year’s resolution: to tolerate fools more gladly, provided this does not encourage them to take up more of my time.” – James Agate

“A New Year’s resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other.” – Leslie Dinaberg’s South Coasting Column, 2004

Foolishly optimistic, somewhat deluded person that I am, I always take some time at the end of December to reflect on the past year and set some goals for the next one. The idea is to come up with a list of resolutions that will help transform me into a kinder, nicer, more organized, healthier, richer person with a better figure, a well-behaved and all around perfect family, and a much cleaner house.

While I haven’t accomplished all that I would have liked to in 2010–and honestly Mr. President, who has?–a look back at the history of my New Year’s resolutions tells me that at least I’m continuing to make a tiny bit of progress every year.

Resolution #1

1988: I will get back to the weight on my Driver’s License.

1997: I will get back to my weight when I got married.

2007: I will follow my new diet religiously until I get back to my pre-pregnancy weight.

2011: I will try to develop a realistic attitude about my weight, focus on getting healthy, buy myself pretty clothes and develop my personality. (Confession: Though I’ve used this line shamelessly throughout my life, my father deserves credit for it, since rumor has it that it’s what he said about me the first time he saw me when I was an hour old.)

Resolution #2

1992: I will not spend my money frivolously and save enough money to put a down payment on a small house in Santa Barbara.

1998: I will not spend any money at all on anything, under any circumstances, and save enough to put a down payment on a small house in Isla Vista, with the help of my parents and anyone else who might want to invest.

2006: I will stop buying so many new pairs of shoes.

2009: I will stop crumpling my tax-deductible receipts into teeny tiny balls of paper that raise my husband’s blood pressure every April.

2011: Money schmoney! It’s all about quality of life.

Resolution #3

2007: I will stop smoking.

2008: I will stop smoking.

2009: I will stop smoking.

2011: I will stop smoking. (Confession: I’ve never started smoking in the first place, but I always like to give myself one easy thing that I know I can accomplish to make myself feel better about this whole New Year’s resolution thing.)

Resolution #4

1997: I will spend more time with my family.

2006: I will spend more quality time with my family.

2008: I will redefine quality time with my family to mean that we all have to be awake, with no one yelling, but not necessarily doing the same activity in the same room at the same time.

2011: I will spend more quality time with my family and my dear friends, but only when I’m not grumpy.

Resolution #5

1998: I will treat my body as a temple and eat only healthy, organic foods.

2000: I will only order out for pizza once a week.

2003: I will stop counting Mai Tais as a serving of fruit, even though they come with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.

2006: I will sit down with my family and eat a healthy, balanced meal at least once a week.

2010: I will eat a piece of dark chocolate and I will drink a glass of red wine every night, but only for the good of my health.

2011: Ditto.

Resolution #6

1982: I will write a novel before I’m 30.

1995: I will write a novel before I’m 40.

2011: I will write a novel before I’m 50 or start lying about my age immediately.

Resolution #7

1993: I will not fight with my boyfriend about household chores.

1994: I will not fight with my husband about household chores.

1999: My husband will stop pretending he knows how to fix the car and I will stop pretending I am competent in the kitchen.

2007: My husband will stop pretending he doesn’t see the pile of laundry that needs to be folded and I will stop pretending I don’t know how to pump my own gas.

2011: My husband will make sure I have gas in my car if I give him enough warning when the tank is low and I will stop making New Year’s resolutions on behalf of other people.

Resolution #8

2005: I will not fight with Koss about doing his chores.

2006: I will not fight with Koss about his homework, doing his chores and cleaning up his dirty sweat socks.

2007: I will not fight with Koss about his homework, doing his chores and cleaning up his dirty sweat socks and his sweaty t-shirts.

2009: I will not fight with Koss about his homework, doing his chores, cleaning up his dirty sweat socks and his sweaty t-shirts, and how much time he spends on the computer.

2011: Koss will be responsible for his own homework, his own chores and his own dirty clothes. But I am still his mother and I can make resolutions for him if I want to!

Resolution #9

2011: I will put away a dollar in a little jar every day and maybe when I retire I’ll be able to afford an R.V. that I can park somewhere in Santa Barbara. Oh, who am I kidding?

Pass the champagne (or better yet, the wine and chocolate!) cheers to a wonderful New Year for us all.

Share your resolutions with Leslie by emailing Leslie@LeslieDinaberg.com. For more columns visit www.LeslieDinaberg.com. Originally published in the Santa Barbara Daily Sound on December 31, 2010.

My Kind of Playground

Posted on by
Reply
Viva ELVIS - Courtesy Julie Aucoin, Aria Resort

Viva ELVIS – Courtesy Julie Aucoin, Aria Resort

Once you have children, those moments when you feel completely relaxed are few and far between. I think I had one once in the early 90s and then another time in 2002 when I was zonked out on cold medicine, but until recently, that’s about it. And it occurs to me that I didn’t even have a kid in the 90s, so that must have just been anticipation. It’s not that being a mom isn’t absolutely wonderful, precious and fulfilling at least 77 percent of the time, but it’s almost never relaxing.

But once in a harvest moon the stars align just right and someone offers you and your husband a free trip to Las Vegas on the exact same weekend that someone else offers to take your son camping and, miracle of miracles, your kid’s soccer team has a bye that weekend.

Talk about timing.

I’ve heard rumors that younger, childless people stay out late and drink cocktails with fancy names on a regular basis, and I have a vague foggy memory of doing something like that myself once upon another lifetime. I’ve also heard alien mumblings about sleeping in, massages, long baths and spa treatments, but again, it had been a long, long while since I had indulged in anything that luscious.

I shooed away any guilty thoughts about lazy Saturdays as I lay soaking in a vanilla-scented spa tub at the ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, which is surely one of the least Vegas-like hotels on the strip. For some reason everything in this hotel smells like vanilla – although I’m guessing the reason is that they pump in the scent of vanilla. And, dare I say it; the opulent decor is tasteful by Vegas standards. From the curved 250-feet-long by 24-feet-high water wall that greets you along with the valet, to the stunning-but understated-for-Vegas-anyway, Maya Lin silver sculpture of the Colorado River that flows above the registration desk-this is hardly a typical hotel.

The Aria is the largest hotel in the world to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, but it also features the most technologically advanced guest rooms in the country, as my husband discovered when he put new grey hairs onto my head by accidentally pushing the “sleep” button, where one click closes the curtains, shuts down all of the electronics and turns off all the lights.

Luckily I was out of the tub at that point.

Even the casino has eco-friendly features like slot machine bases that serve as floor air-conditioning and specialized air curtains that help minimize the impact of tobacco smoke and perhaps pump the vanilla scent in. Of course neither of those things stopped us from losing what could have been a very nice pair of shoes at the Craps tables, but it was fun anyway.

We were wined and dined through a global variety of cuisines at the Town Square Center, with yummy nibbles and cocktails from Cana Latin Kitchen & Bar (South American), Texas de Brazil (Brazilian by way of Texas), Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar (Island-inspired), BRIO Tuscan Grille (Northern Italian) and Blue Martini (all-American alcohol). Then in a lovely coincidence, we were able to meet up with some of our best friends from Santa Barbara who happened to be spending their anniversary in Vegas.

Meeting for late night drinks (yes, more drinks) at the Aria’s View Bar, where my husband and our male friend were more drawn to the view of our sexy waitress’ accoutrements than the (also excellent) view of the strip, we couldn’t help but giggle at how much fun it was to be out late and not worrying about babysitters’ curfews.

The next morning it was spa time. Spa just happens to be one of my favorite words in the English language. My Vita Boost Facial was wonderfully relaxing and my skin looked great afterward, unlike some of the facials I’ve had where “bringing all of the impurities to the surface” actually makes your skin look worse. Not only that, the lovely Gina gave me paraffin treatments as well, leaving my hands and feet ever so soft and happy.

Then it was on to more gourmet cuisine (don’t miss the stuffed piquillo peppers, pintxo de chorizos and the churros with chili chocolate sauce at Julian Serrano), and my discovery of what a pleasant daytime beverage white sangria can be.

After a tour of Crystals, an impressive 500,000-square-foot retail/dining area at CityCenter featuring gorgeous galleries and stores like Prada, Christian Dior, Bulgari, Carolina Herrera, Hermes, Cartier, and Van Cleef & Arpels, it was time to tour the shopping areas of Town Square Center, where the more along the lines of my budget retailers like Old Navy, Victoria’s Secret, Borders, Lucky Brand Jeans and Bebe reside.

Spa treatments, gourmet food and shopping all in the same day! This is my kind of playtime. But it got even better. After returning to BRIO for yummy crab cakes and Mezza Chicken Limone, they treated us to Cirque Du Soleil’s newest offering, Viva ELVIS, an energetic fusion of dance, acrobatics and live music that had us bopping our heads and singing along with the King. Watching the show was actually one of the few times in this decidedly adult weekend that I wished my son had been with us, as it was definitely an entertaining event that kids of all ages would appreciate.

As for the rest, well, sometimes it’s good to get away from it all and play like a grownup.

When Leslie’s not fantasizing about her return to the Aria spa, she can be reached at Leslie@LeslieDinaberg.com. For more columns visit www.LeslieDinaberg.com. Originally published in the Santa Barbara Daily Sound on October 15, 2010.